The first day of booking for new Cunard ship Queen Anne proved to be the busiest booking day on record. The maiden voyage, a seven-night sailing from Southampton departing 4 January 2024, has sold out and demand for Grill Suites proved especially strong. The three busiest booking periods for Cunard on record have now happened since March 2021. They were the launch of the UK sailings as the brand returned to service, the launch of the summer 2023 programme and now the launch of Queen Anne’s maiden programme. Sture Myrmell, Carnival UK president, said, “Since we’ve started to unveil details of the next in a fine line of Cunard ships, the reaction to Queen Anne from guests and travel agents alike has been phenomenal.  The first day of sales shows the incredible strength of demand for our new ship and the Cunard brand has never been stronger.” Myrmell added, “To all our trade partners, thank you for your ongoing incredible support and for helping make the launch of sales for Queen Anne such a success.”

Cunard’s news ship Queen Anne will call at more than 32 ports around the world during her maiden season. The maiden voyage is to Lisbon. Sailing roundtrip from Southampton on January 4, 2024, it embarks on  a seven-night voyage with an overnight port call in Lisbon On her return to Southampton, the newest Queen will be joined by sister ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Following her maiden voyage it will sail in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Northern Europe as well as an Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing. Queen Anne offers a 35-night Caribbean voyage calling at Barbados and St Lucia amongst others, departing Southampton on January 27, 2024. In late March Queen Anne sails a 16-night Western Mediterranean voyage including calls at Lisbon, Cadiz and Rome. “Our new voyages bring opportunities to explore all corners of the world in luxurious surroundings,” said Matt Gleaves, Vice President, Commercial, North America. Queen Anne's maiden sailings are available to book from May 17, 2022. The ship launches in early 2024.

  Travel agents can be in with the chance to win their very own Fly Med voyage this March, as Cunard launches a host of incentives through its travel agent loyalty programme, Shine Rewards Club.   In 2022 Queen Elizabeth will visit a host of sought-after locations including Barcelona, Florence, Naples and Rome as part of its Fly Med season. With demand high, travel agents registered to Cunard’s loyalty programme, Shine Rewards Club, could win the chance to escape the everyday and experience a Cunard voyage first-hand. With even more reason to book a Fly Med cruise with Cunard, agents will be in with a chance to win an all 2022 and 2023 Fly Med bookings made from now until the end of March.   Director of UK Sales, Tom Mahoney, said: “It’s been fantastic to see this very popular itinerary return to Cunard’s extensive roster of voyages. These added incentives are only available for a short period, but it’s our way of rewarding agents for their hard work, while our guests get to enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean with Cunard.”   Shine Rewards Club operates on a points-based system, giving agents the chance to gain Shine points in a variety of ways, which range from simply making a Cunard Fare booking to completing training modules. Throughout March agents can also earn Shine points on Early Saver Fare bookings for Fly Med voyages.   Shine points can be exchanged for a range of rewards, from voucher codes for a wide variety of retailers through to paying towards 25%, 50% or 100% of a Cunard voyage.   The training and incentives available for agents this March, include:   A quiz for agents to complete at Shine Rewards Club. Agents answering four out of five questions correctly will earn 10 Shine points.   A webinar recording available covering the highlights of Fly-Med with Cunard and an overview of Queen Elizabeth.   Between 16 February and 31 March, agents can now earn Shine points on Early Saver fare bookings on 2022 and 2023 Fly-Med voyages, as well as with Cunard Fare bookings.   Cunard is giving away three balcony staterooms for an agent to take a guest of their choice on a 2022 Fly Med voyage. Agents are able to choose from a selection of voyages and the prize includes flights to Barcelona from a nominated UK airport, ship transfers and on board gratuities.   All agents need to do to enter is submit their details at https://www.shinerewardsclub.com (T&Cs included) to confirm that they’d like all their 2022 and 2023 Fly-Med Cunard Fare and Early Saver bookings, made and played on Shine Rewards Club between 9am 16 February and midnight on 31 March 2022, to go towards entry into this competition.   Window cards and supporting marketing tools are available at Shine Rewards Club.

  Cunard Line is delaying the return to service of ship Queen Victoria. The ship was originally scheduled to return in April sailing from Southampton. Queen Victoria will now return to service on June 5, 2022 due to spending longer in the Caribbean than originally planned before entering dry-dock. Five voyages have been cancelled. Guests booked on those cruises can choose to apply for a full refund, or take a Future Cruise Credit of 110% of the value. The FCC is valid on any Cunard sailing in 2022 and 2023.

  Cunard - pioneers of luxury ocean travel, is delighted to announce the name of the new ship joining a world-renowned fleet, Queen Anne. Queen Anne will be Cunard’s 249^th ship and will make up a remarkable quartet of Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. This will mark the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships at sea.   The name ‘Queen Anne’ celebrates Cunard’s rich heritage, royal history and refined status - joining a luxury contemporary fleet now honoring the names of each Queen Regnant over the last millennium.   The Cunard team explored multiple naming options and inspired by Queen Anne’s reign, engaged with British historian, author and television presenter, Kate Williams, to assist in the detailed research. Kate says, ‘It is so exciting that the fourth ship of the fleet will be named after Queen Anne. She has a fascinating tale to tell – one of queenship, unity of developing constitutional monarchy, a golden age of the arts. She was an inspiring woman, wildly popular with her people. She should be celebrated. This new ship in the Cunard fleet is the perfect way to do it!’   Queen Anne will feature reimagined Cunard signature spaces as well as the introduction of new guest experiences within dining, culture and entertainment, for an unparalleled cruise experience underpinned by outstanding White Star Service. Bridging tradition and contemporary luxury, Queen Anne celebrates the influential design styles of both past and present and introduces an updated Cunard livery. World renowned designers have joined forces to create an extraordinary and thoughtful standard-setting design - inspiring a new way to travel on sea. The décor will reveal bold color tones and showcase a striking aesthetic, while in keeping with the renowned timeless Cunard sophistication.   Carnival UK President, Sture Myrmell comments, ‘I am absolutely delighted to welcome Queen Anne, the fourth ship to Cunard’s fleet. This marks a very special moment in Cunard’s 182-year history and showcases Cunard’s exciting global plans for the future, allowing even more guests around the world to set sail with Cunard. With design inspired by the past and set for the future, Queen Anne is the perfect way for our guests to rediscover the joy of exploration and travel again. We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks and months.’   Queen Anne’s maiden season program will go on sale in May, with the ship’s first sailings in early 2024. More in-depth details are to be shared shortly.

Cunard has appointed Tom Mahoney as new Director of UK Sales. Mahoney is currently Cunard's Director of Strategic Planning and takes up his new role on 31 January 2021. He will be responsible for the UK distribution strategy covering all channels, including all aspects of UK travel agent and on board sales Mahoney reports to Cunard Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Angus Struthers. "Tom has built a highly successful track record as an integral part of Cunard's senior commercial team and is warmly welcomed into the Director of UK Sales role. Tom will lead the Sales team at a crucial and exciting time, as the brand significantly grows," Struthers said.  

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 ship will drop a planned port call at New York during its New Year sailing. Instead it will stay in Barbados until early January to bring on more crew members. The ship is on a 28-night voyage which left Southampton on 13 December and is due back in the UK on 10 January 2022. Cunard will arrange flights out of Barbados for guests who were due to disembark in New York. "As a precautionary measure Queen Mary 2 will take on additional manning in essential roles in Barbados prior to the sail back to the UK. Given the current international travel situation the ship will remain in Barbados until January 2," the cruise line said. "It means that unfortunately the ship will be unable to call in New York."

Cruise line Cunard and Orange County's acclaimed Pacific Symphony are embarking on a new partnership, with Cunard's exclusive sponsorship of the organization's premier Box Circle Club. It becomes the official cruise line of the Pacific Symphony. Cunard will support the organization's aim to inspire and serve Orange County through music performances, education and community programming. Founded in 1978, Pacific Symphony began as a collaboration between California State University, Fullerton, and North Orange County community leaders led by Marcy Mulville. The Symphony has now been led by Music Director Carl St. Clair for over 30 years and has been the resident orchestra at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for 15 years. Currently in its 43rd season, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years and is recognized as a Tier 1 orchestra. In April 2018, Pacific Symphony made its Carnegie Hall debut as one of two orchestras invited to perform during a celebration of composer Philip Glass' 80th birthday. Cunard has long supported classical music, featuring musical ensembles each year on flagship Queen Mary 2. Most notably are the annual performances of Sir Anthony Inglis and the UK's National Symphony Orchestra. Queen Elizabeth will be sailing north through Los Angeles en route to Alaska in late May, followed by her second Alaska season commencing in early June 2022. "We are elated to partner with the Pacific Symphony, a cultural gem in Orange County," said Jamie Paiko, Vice President, Sales, Cunard North America. "Our guests are passionate about classical music and we hope to have the future opportunity of bringing the Symphony on board a voyage for everyone to enjoy. We are eager to introduce Pacific Symphony and their patrons to Cunard's signature voyages." Cunard and Pacific Symphony are evolving their partnership and look forward to announcing developments in the New Year.

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will embark on 17 new international voyages from early 2022. The ship will visit 32 ports in 12 countries, sailingf Norway's fjords; island hopping in Spain and Portugal; the Mediterranean; and finally transiting the Panama Canal onwards to Alaska. It includes Amsterdam on a four-night short break offering an opportunity to explore the city's UNESCO-listed canals by night. Other highlight calls include Genoa, Ibiza, Manzanillo, Grand Turk, San Francisco, before reaching the Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. A 14-night Canary Islands escape features stops in the Canaries, Cadiz and Lisbon as well as an overnight port call in Funchal, Madeira. It departs Southampton on 20 February 2022. "We're thrilled to offer this exciting new Escapes Programme for a voyage that promises a sense of freedom, luxury and style," said Cunard President Simon Palethorpe.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has appointed Gary Anslow as Senior Sales Director, UK and Ireland. Anslow takes over from 1 November 2021.and will work on expanding NCL's market share in the region, growing and retaining existing accounts, whilst acquiring new ones. In this role, Anslow will report into Eamonn Ferrin, who has recently been appointed Vice President of International Sales and will lead a sales team of ten. Anslow brings 25 years' experience in FMGC and travel, including extensive board and senior leadership team experience in organisations such as PepsiCo, Diageo and Monarch Travel Group. Anslow joins NCL from Cunard where he worked as Sales Director since January 2018. During that time, he sat on the sales and marketing leadership team and led the company's UK and onboard sales, sales operations and trade marketing teams. Prior to Cunard, he spent seven years at The Monarch Travel Group as Sales Director for several travel brands including Monarch Holidays, Cosmos Holidays and Avalon Waterways. "We are thrilled to welcome Gary on board," said Eamonn Ferrin. "He brings an impressive skillset and extensive senior-level experience in the travel industry, which will be instrumental toward NCL's growth in the UK and Ireland."

Cunard has announced a series of new itineraries sailing on Queen Elizabeth between February and May 2022, which go on sale in November.  All sailings will depart from Southampton and will include a Northern Lights voyage, sailings to the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean as well as a grand voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and on to Vancouver, Canada. The new itineraries will replace the existing published schedule. Cunard continues to work very closely with authorities in all the destinations to ensure compliance with local health and entry requirements. Based on the most recent advice for cruise guests, and the complexities of many of the international destinations involved, Queen Elizabeth's existing schedule and all departures from 20 February to 17 May 2022 inclusive are cancelled. Cunard President Simon Palethorpe says, "We hope our guests will be inspired to find a little adventure with these new itineraries.  In a single short programme, they offer fantastic variety from the opportunity to experience the wondrous Northern Lights, to Mediterranean shores, and a transit of the Panama Canal. "To all guests affected by the cancelled voyages we are sorry for the disappointment this will cause and we hope to welcome many back on board when we return to Japan in 2023." Guests booked on the affected cancelled voyages will be offered a full refund or future cruise credit worth 125% of the standard deposit terms, and 100% of any additional monies paid.

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth is receiving its final touches as the luxury cruise line prepares to return to sailing later this week after a 17 month break. The ship returns to service on 13 August to sail a series of UK voyages It then returns to international cruising in October. "I think I speak for the entire team at Cunard when I say how delighted we are to be returning to what we do best as we get ready to welcome our guests back on board," said Cunard President Simon Palethorpe. "We know how much our guests have been looking forward to our first voyage and we hope that they fully immerse themselves in the Cunard on board experience," Palethorpe added. Cunard's international sailings on board Queen Elizabeth will begin in October with a cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam followed by a 14 night voyage to the Canary Islands and Madeira this November.